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Be an Inspector Detective for a Day

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As Sherlock Holmes would say, the first step in solving a mystery is to be observant and note every detail, no matter how small it may seem. Put your child's powers of observation and attention to detail to the test with this fun mystery game in which one team, the Inspectors, must figure out what has changed about the Mystery team's appearance. Because this game requires at least 4 participants, it's a great activity for a birthday party, play date, or family gathering.

What You Need:

4 or more participants

What You Do:

Divide the participants into two even teams. One group will be the Inspectors team and the other will be the Mystery team.

Have each player from one team partner up with a player on the opposing team. Have each member of the Inspector team spend one minute observing his Mystery team partner's appearance, down to the last detail—how he is dressed, how his hair is done, what kind of jewelry/accessories he is wearing, whether his shoe is tied, etc.

After the minute is up, have the Inspector team turn around and close their eyes for 30 seconds. During this time, instruct the Mystery team to change one feature of their appearance (like unbuttoning their shirt, changing the part in their hair, moving their wristwatch to the other wrist, etc.).

Once each Mystery team player has had a chance to change one feature, ask the Inspectors to open their eyes and try to figure out what is different about their Mystery team partners.

After the Inspectors have made their deductions, have the Mystery team reveal the correct answer.

After playing one round, have the teams switch sides so the Inspector team becomes the Mystery team and the Mystery team players become the Inspectors so all the participants have a chance to play both parts. To keep the game exciting, have everyone choose a new partner for the second round.